BS: Parallel music

Subject: RE: BS: Parallel music
From: GUEST,John P
Date: 15 Nov 14 - 11:19 AM

The answer is yes: If one can posit an alternate universe that is in many recognizable ways congruent with ours, one must assume the existence of some congruent form of folk music. Of course, the farther the alternate world is from congruency, the less the chances of there being anything recognizable to us as folk music (which would also be true of any other recognizable facet of culture). There could be many scholarly treatises on the differences in similarity between the folk music of various universes based on the strength of the congruity to our own.

At some point, however, it doesn't matter if the non-similar civilization is in an alternate universe or merely in another part of this universe. Perhaps the slime creatures of a distant planet (or alternate universe) are having a discussion about the origin of a set of scent-poems and whether or not an odor with a known farter can be considered a folk smell. And then, of course, they could discuss different olfactorer's interpretations of the old smells and have an argument about whether or not they are flatulating them properly. To us it would just be a really stinky planet.

Subject: RE: BS: Parallel music
From: Ed T
Date: 15 Nov 14 - 10:01 AM

"Is what we call folk music a logical consequence of our life form?"
An interesting question, but not one that I had in mind.

One often sees interviews of music and song writers, where they seem puzzled by where the inspiration for their music creation came from. From what we know, and can prove, all of our knowledge and inspiration is from an Earth source (excluding those that are without convincing evidence).

Under some quantum theories, there is an interconnection among pieces of the universe. If valudated in some way, future scientists may open the doors to connect with far away places, in one manner or another, that are currently out of reach through traditional methods.

It is within probability that in the countless solar systems that other life forms exist. Regardless of the life form, if that were the case, and a form of intelligent communication and society evolved, it is also probable that art and music was one result. With quantum theory, and interconnection, it is unlikely that life forms could establish a physial connection in an intact form.

Obviously it is too early to put factual "meat on the bones" on what interconnection would mean and what possible doors it would open, if found to be more than a scientific theory. Thus, my question. Admittedly, it was a bit of a "tongue in cheek" question, mainly focused on those who have claimed to put great faith in science and scientists-and some who are more selective in what field of science trust lies.

Subject: RE: BS: Parallel music
From: GUEST,#
Date: 15 Nov 14 - 09:50 AM

Thought this as gonna be about harmony.

Subject: RE: BS: Parallel music
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 15 Nov 14 - 09:14 AM

If the question is "Is what we call folk music a logical consequence of our life form?", the clear answer is no. Even within our species in our universe, musical cultures and tastes vary considerably. More surprisingly, they change so quickly that the notion of "traditional music" is a fiction in itself: it is reinvented every decade or so. More surprisingly still, this also applies to cultures that do not seem to have changed in their material or economical bases at all.

Subject: RE: BS: Parallel music
From: Musket
Date: 15 Nov 14 - 08:23 AM

I suppose to Bill, the Principia falls into his "we don't really know" stuff. Interestingly, the laws hold both for the cup of coffee I am staring at and the black holes they stare at up the Peru mountains.

The "we are atoms" never really held together as it is styled on a Boehr representation that is more akin to the London Underground map.

Science fiction can challenge us to go from "we observe and deduce" to "so how does that help us?"

Most science fiction writers of note are and were visionaries and if you compare their prose, storyline etc to great fiction writers, you are missing the point somewhat.

Subject: RE: BS: Parallel music
From: Ed T
Date: 15 Nov 14 - 08:01 AM

Well Bill D, there are many folks who hold science fiction with suspect, as it seems logical to do so (after all, it is clearly fiction).

However, attempting to make a suggestion that scientific fields such as physics, mathmatics and the study of various forces in the universe science falls into a similar, if not the same catagory as science fiction is not a reasoned persuit. I am surprised with such a suggestion by a learned man, if I understand your last post correctly.

Subject: RE: BS: Parallel music
From: Musket
Date: 15 Nov 14 - 05:02 AM

You mean somewhere where old men with trousers up to their tits collect royalties for writing "The Wild Rover" whilst tradionalists insist "Blowing in the Wind" is a folk song because nobody knows who wrote it?

😇

Subject: RE: BS: Parallel music
From: Bill D
Date: 14 Nov 14 - 10:06 PM

The human mind has an amazing ability to 'theorize' and create possibilities that we can't even begin to consider how to test for experimentally. Over 40 years ago, a guy I knew came up with the idea (new to him, but fairly common) that "we might be just atoms in some larger reality/universe". I tried to explain that the physics involved really wouldn't support the idea, but he wanted to believe it might be possible.

Ever since Einstein made popular the idea of general relativity, physicists (and novelists) have embroidered 'what is' with 'what might be' in ever more complex ways. String theory, multiverses, 'membranes', wormholes ...and numerous variations on these ideas... can even be 'described' mathematically. The problem is, many mathematical concepts have no relation to physical entities. (Yes.. I know that some ideas... like black holes.. have been verified and need a lot more study, but we seem to be bound to study them from afar. So far, they 'seem' to be just interesting but important examples of how physical forces can... and must... interact in certain conditions.)

I LOVE science fiction and am fascinated by the 'maybes' of the universe... but I am slightly bemused by the way new theories crop up. Perhaps someone will expand on "the music of the spheres" and take this thread into other dimensions.

Subject: RE: BS: Parallel music
From: michaelr
Date: 14 Nov 14 - 07:25 PM

Terry Pratchett knows. See his collaboration with Stephen Baxter The Long Earth.

"The 'Long Earth' is a (possibly infinite) series of parallel worlds that are similar to Earth, which can be reached by using an inexpensive device called a "Stepper". The "close" worlds are almost identical to 'our' Earth (referred to as "Datum Earth"), others differ in greater and greater details, but all share one similarity: on none are there, or have there ever been, Homo sapiens - although the same cannot be said for earlier hominid species, especially Homo habilis. The book explores the theme of how humanity might develop when freed from resource constraints: one example Pratchett has cited is that wars result from lack of land – what would happen if no shortage of land (or gold or oil or food) existed?"

Subject: BS: Parallel music
From: Ed T
Date: 14 Nov 14 - 06:01 PM

If there are interacting parallel worlds, under quantum theory, could there also be interacting parallel music (including folk) in the quantum universe?

Anyone out there know for sure?

Interacting parallel worlds